The Brothers, Lena Lake — Friday, Jul. 25, 2025

I wanted to visit my friend Rick while he was up on a WTA trail work party in the Olympics.  I have heard of The Brothers approach trail but this was my first visit.  The forest road up from Rt. 101 is in great shape.  I rarely get to drive on a paved road to one of our rural trailheads.  There are two potholes close to the trailhead, and they are outlined in orange paint.  The parking lot was 2/3 full (30 cars) when I arrived in the morning.  The facilities at the trailhead are in good condition with plenty of toilet paper.  

The trail up to Luna Lake is in very good condition.  There were no obstacles on the trail.  The first mile or so is a steady uphill climb up numerous switchbacks.  It is about a 1600' climb and 3 miles to Luna Lake camping area.  I stopped at the first "overlook rock" coming into Lower Luna Lake for a morning snack and enjoyed the view.  

My goal was the WTA work crew camped near Brothers Base Camp usign the Brothers Trail.  The crossing over Luna Creek was OK at this time.  I found the crossing where the trail meets the creek.  There are several small logs placed across the creek, but the structure is not very well supported.  I would NOT cross this creek at high water flow.  Too many strainers and rock undercuts to catch a body from a fall.

The Brothers trail is much more rustic (real estate term for in poor condition).  Please thank the WTA for working on this approach trail for the last several years to make it passable for most hikers that are good at route finding.  There are a number of trees down across the trail but most were easy to walk under or around.  Two of three FS log bridges are no longer functional.  One of the WTA projects was to add better approaches to the creek just downstream from one of the washed out bridges.  The work crew was also addressing a few of the shorter sections of collapsed trail.  Seasonal snow melt and heavy rains are not a good mix with trails up this narrow canyon approach.  

Approximately 1 mile past the Luna Creek crossing the trail was washed out by high water.  The current route goes along the dry stream bed for about 250 yards.  Please follow the colored marking tape left along the path that goes in and out of the dry creek bed about three times.  Once past this section, the trail is narrow but obvious.  

I did not actually make it to the base camp.  I found the work crew about 1.6 up the trail (2.4 miles to the camp).  We had a wonderful lunch together on the trail and then it was time for me to go home.  Although still primitive, please thank those volunteer trail workers who try to keep these access trail open to all.